What About Now
by FlameTamer16
Summary: A war can bring much more than death and destruction. Fear, desire, need, want, love, pain, loss. This time, Chaos doesn't stop at just the carnage.  CxZ, SxA, JxW.


**My take on the final war. I'm not quite sure how long this will end up being – just know that chapter length will vary and so will updates. **

_**Based on "What About Now" by Westlife.**_

_Shadows fill an empty heart, as love as fading_

_Of all the things that we are, but are not saying_

_- What About Now_

Dozens of silhouettes stood still in the twilight sun, staring out past the purple-dusted dunes to the darkening horizon.

Behind them, battalions of tents and towers stood in the sand, the crook and flail of Ma'at waving from their silver banners.

A boy in bronze chainmail ducked out of the largest one, pulling a copper helmet over his dark, mussed hair.  
>Carter Kane trudged forward, grains crunching under his feet, to where the others stood, and took his place in middle of the line.<p>

"Are you ready?"

He spoke to the girl directly beside him. She was dressed in plain linen robes, her eyes squeezed shut in concentration. Her blonde hair, streaked with blue highlights, stood out against the plain outfit.

Her eyes snapped open when he addressed her.

"Are you?"

Of course he wasn't. Who would be, after everything? After hearing the future recited before them, after leaning those dark secrets, knowing that they were fighting the losing side of a war.

"No."

Sadie closed her eyes. "You need to be, if you want us to win. You're their leader."

The boy studied his sister. How she had changed from the reckless, impulsive girl he'd once known.

Then again, who wouldn't?

Before he could say a word, another girl strode up to take her place beside him. Her midnight black plated armor clinked as she stood next to him, the pitch metal emblazoned with the gold _Khet_ - fire. The blonde was pretty, but in his eyes this one was breathtakingly beautiful.

The strands that usually hung in her eyes had been twisted into twin braids. Her mesmerizing amber eyes were hard determination, her features perfectly lit in the indigo light.

He found himself staring at her in spite of himself as she twirled her finger and a small ball of fire danced along her palm, sending sparks skittering along her armored hand.

She caught his gaze and turned, meeting his dark eyes with her golden ones. His breath caught in his throat and mixed emotions swirled in his stomach, emotions that had no place in the middle of a war.

"Carter..." She looked down.

Just the way she said his _name_ sent a shiver down his spine. He had fallen fast and hard for her since the first day, over a year ago. Only it hadn't been her. Merely a shabti, a placeholder. He had fallen in love with a statue.

But what if it was still there? What if that spark, those memories, those _feelings_ were still there - not gone, just lost.

He opened his mouth for a second, and closed it again, bitterness welling in his chest. So many things he wanted to say, so many things he _couldn't_, thanks to this damned war.

Ma'at had to conquer Chaos. His desires, his wants, his _needs _didn't matter. He was a piece in a game of chess that was taking a turn for the deadly.

He swallowed and turned, voice thick.

"I understand."

But her gaze lingered on him, making his skin tingle.

"The messenger is here!" A deep voice announced. Walt ran forward to meet an approaching creature half-way to the camp.

"Have you come to a decision?" The creature rasped. It's torso was a twisted amphibian, it's scaly head and legs resembling some sort of reptile.

Walt steeled his expression and clenched a fist.

Carter felt all eyes on him, and he spoke with command he didn't know he possessed.

"We will fight."

The creature snarled. "Then prepare yourselves. Tomorrow at dusk, when Chaos reigns strongest, we shall strike."

Walt growled and unsheathed his scythe, but the creature cackled and evaporated into smoky mist.

There was dead silence, broken only by the blowing wind.

Then Walt strapped his weapon back, and the scrape of metal seemed to snap everybody out of their stupor.

"They're coming." Sadie was the first to speak, her voice trembling. Carter felt a wave of sympathy. If they couldn't pull through...she'd die before her fourteenth birthday.

"Then we'll have to be ready." He clenched his fist and locked eyes with Zia, conveying a silent message. She nodded once and gave a single, sharp command, authority evident in her voice. Everyone began the march back to the tents, and she followed them, before stopping in her tracks and turning to face him.

"Are you coming?"

"Nah. I think-" He took a breath. "I think I'll stay a while."

Zia stood, facing the tents and twisted to face him, indecision written across her face. Finally she steeled and walked back, leaving him alone with the darkening sky and swirling desert sand.


End file.
